LutheranLectionary.org

Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:19	hello
0:23	today let’s talk about the compassion of
0:26	Jesus
0:28	in the ninth chapter of the Gospel of
0:30	Matthew we are told that Jesus was going
0:33	throughout all of the cities and
0:35	Villages teaching in their synagogues
0:36	and proclaiming the gospel of the
0:39	kingdom and healing every kind of
0:41	disease and every kind of sickness
0:43	then in Matthew chapter 9 verse 36 we
0:48	read
0:49	and seeing the multitudes he felt
0:51	compassion for them because they were
0:54	distressed and downcast like sheep
0:57	without a shepherd
0:59	before we begin
1:01	I want to take a little detour
1:04	I remember taking a trip to Zimbabwe in
1:07	southern Africa it was a breathtaking
1:10	and beautiful land like nothing I had
1:12	ever seen
1:14	I spent a day on a wild game reserve and
1:17	got up close and personal with enormous
1:20	rhinos
1:22	overtowering giraffes and giant
1:25	elephants and not so close to a pride of
1:29	lions
1:31	I had no idea that a lion was so
1:33	ferocious and terrifying a male lion is
1:38	over 400 pounds of intimidating
1:42	unpredictability his head is huge his
1:46	paws are like large clubs with sharp
1:49	claws and he runs 50 miles an hour
1:54	the purr of a lion is like thunder and
1:57	his Roar shakes the trees
2:00	I did not see a kill take place but I
2:03	did see Antelope and zebra the intended
2:06	prey they are delicate beautiful and
2:09	slower by 10 or 15 miles an hour than
2:13	the lion who hunts them get a mental
2:15	picture of this relationship predator
2:18	and prey
2:19	now consider the same relationship
2:21	predator and prey but think of coyotes
2:24	40 miles an hour chasing sheep running
2:28	in Terror as fast as they can at 25
2:30	miles an hour sheep are basically
2:33	defenseless coyotes are not defenseless
2:37	predator and prey
2:39	please keep that image in your mind as
2:42	we review the text from Matthew chapter
2:45	9 and seeing the multitudes Jesus felt
2:48	compassion for them because they were
2:50	distressed and downcast like sheep
2:54	without a shepherd
2:58	there are a couple of important words
2:59	that are before us that give
3:01	Illuminating insight into this verse
3:03	first there’s the word for compassion
3:07	the word in Greek is splag nidsomai
3:11	from the word splak na it means
3:15	intestines
3:16	this word indicates that a person is so
3:19	deeply distressed that one has the
3:22	equivalent of a stomachache he is
3:24	viscerally grieved
3:26	when the Lord looked at the crowds of
3:28	people following him he was sickened
3:31	with sorrow and concern splag nidsomai
3:35	why was our Lord so grieved well we are
3:38	told that Jesus saw that they were
3:40	distressed
3:42	from the Greek word skulo meaning flayed
3:47	or torn you know the word flayed means
3:50	to peel the skin off
3:52	and they were downcast from the Greek
3:55	word repto meaning thrown down or made
3:58	prostrate
4:00	when the Lord looked at the people he
4:02	saw that they were cut and wounded
4:03	bleeding like sheep that had gone
4:06	through thick Thorns had been cut up or
4:10	perhaps they had fallen on Sharp rocks
4:12	and had been deeply wounded
4:15	also he saw that they had been thrown
4:18	down
4:18	like a judo move or like being mugged
4:22	and left on the ground prostrate
4:25	in that position one is dominated and
4:28	defenseless
4:30	are you beginning to get the idea Jesus
4:33	is not looking at these people
4:35	physically
4:36	he’s seeing them spiritually
4:40	perhaps in a way that they may not even
4:42	have been able to see themselves
4:45	they may not be able to understand what
4:48	has happened to them but Jesus the
4:51	Heavenly and holy second person of the
4:53	Divine godhead sees that these people
4:56	are victims of attack from a spiritual
4:59	predator
5:01	they are spiritually wounded bleeding
5:04	and torn they are thrown down
5:07	defenseless and dominated by a superior
5:11	spiritual foe
5:14	the enemy of these people is your enemy
5:17	and the enemy of your family
5:19	this is the enemy of your congregation
5:23	for he is the enemy of the Lord Jesus
5:25	Christ and the enemy of everyone who
5:28	follows Jesus
5:30	this Predator does not fight fair
5:35	first of all
5:36	we are not his equal
5:38	he is older wiser and much more powerful
5:43	typically we can’t even see him
5:47	like most Predators he prefers to attack
5:50	when we are weak or defenseless oh or
5:54	especially the Young
5:57	it is much easier and more productive to
6:00	attack a child
6:01	literally the devil will pick on a four
6:04	five or six year old or perhaps a 10 to
6:07	12 year old spiritually they are much
6:10	more vulnerable and after all they are
6:13	just prey
6:15	the predator
6:17	can abuse mistreat frighten and
6:20	spiritually sabotage that little child
6:22	and Scar him or her for life the enemy
6:26	may never have to tempt or harass that
6:28	one again think of how efficient that
6:31	evil strategy is
6:33	the Sheep may be living in shame
6:35	self-condemnation
6:38	recurring thoughts of abuse or
6:40	Temptation hatred helplessness and sin
6:44	sick guilt that could go on and on for
6:48	decades
6:49	of course if Satan will tempt Jesus he
6:52	will have no hesitation in tempting or
6:54	oppressing you or me
6:56	so it’s a good thing that we know some
6:59	basic self-defense prayer
7:01	Holy Scripture and of course we know to
7:04	call upon the name of Jesus for he is
7:07	our Good Shepherd and we are his sheep
7:11	is this spiritual battle something of
7:13	what our lord Jesus was seeing as he
7:16	looked into the hearts and the minds of
7:19	the crowds of people who followed him
7:21	sheep flayed cut spiritually left for
7:25	dead without a Shepherd or protector
7:28	without a guardian or war fighter
7:32	of course
7:33	Jesus had compassion for them but he had
7:37	more to give them than that
7:39	Jesus was and Jesus is the captain of
7:42	the hosts of Heaven he is the spiritual
7:44	savior who defeats the devil’s attack
7:46	and destroys the weapons of the enemy
7:49	sin guilt shame fear and death all are
7:55	laid waste by the Cross of Christ
7:58	how Jesus loves his precious sheep
8:02	many of them never even know that they
8:05	are prey for a demonic predator
8:08	do you see how defenseless people are
8:10	who do not yet know Jesus and do not
8:14	understand or even believe in spiritual
8:17	forces or spiritual warfare
8:21	the next verse seems to come out of
8:23	nowhere
8:25	at first it doesn’t even appear to be
8:26	connected Matthew 9 verse 37
8:31	he said to his disciples the Harvest is
8:33	plentiful but the workers are few
8:35	therefore beseech the lord of the
8:37	Harvest to send out workers into the
8:40	Harvest
8:41	what’s going on here
8:44	Jesus is looking across this crowd of
8:46	hurting people
8:48	and I suspect that he’s seeing Millions
8:50	upon Millions more across the world and
8:53	down Through the Ages the numbers are
8:56	staggering continents full across
8:59	generations and centuries Jesus can see
9:03	them all flocks of bleeding and
9:06	spiritually abused sheep
9:09	people of all ages no wonder Jesus has a
9:12	stomachache
9:13	they are in desperate need of the Good
9:16	Shepherd the one who saves them from the
9:19	Demons of hell he must touch them his
9:22	kingdom must reach them his word can
9:25	penetrate and heal their hearts the Holy
9:28	Spirit can change and recreate each one
9:31	of their lives
9:33	but to carry this life-saving message
9:37	Jesus chooses to use disciples
9:40	he will use hands and hearts and voices
9:43	of those who believe in him
9:45	the Lord sees enormous fields of grain
9:48	ripe for Harvest
9:51	how do you know they’re ripe
9:53	their heads are drooping bent under the
9:56	spiritual bombardment of the devil
9:59	Jesus looks at his beloved twelve
10:02	the Harvest is plentiful but the workers
10:05	are few
10:06	beseech the lord of the Harvest to send
10:08	out workers into the Harvest
10:11	admittedly these first apostles are
10:13	historically and spiritually unique they
10:16	are given three years of rabbinic
10:18	instruction from the rabbi of Heaven
10:21	they see and then receive power and
10:25	authority from the one who is God in
10:28	flesh
10:30	they are given Divine exousia that’s the
10:32	Greek word for authority and power see
10:35	Matthew 10 verse 1.
10:37	they write Holy Scripture that stands as
10:40	the inspired infallible inerrant word of
10:42	God they have a unique and wonderful
10:45	role in all the church
10:47	however
10:48	they also are given a strange lesson
10:51	they’re told to carry no gold or silver
10:54	no staff or extra clothes everything
10:58	that they need will be provided for them
11:00	God will be with them and in them and
11:03	God himself will provide all that they
11:07	need
11:08	that’s a lesson for us as well
11:11	Jesus says that his followers should ask
11:15	the father to send more workers
11:17	and though we are not the first
11:19	disciples we too are Disciples of Jesus
11:23	though we do not write Holy scripture we
11:25	read Holy Scripture and we believe God’s
11:29	word is true
11:30	you and I are the answer to Christ’s
11:33	call to pray to the father send laborers
11:37	into the Harvest we are the laborers
11:41	we may be weak and incapable
11:43	insufficient for the task of sharing the
11:46	gospel and extending the kingdom of
11:49	course we’re insufficient by ourselves
11:50	but we are not by ourselves
11:53	God is with us and God will provide all
11:57	that we need for the work that he has
11:59	prepared for each of us to do
12:02	so beloved keep your eyes open for the
12:06	ones whose heads are bowed low the ones
12:09	who are bent by the spiritual forces of
12:12	evil the overwhelming stress of the
12:15	world and the Relentless indictments of
12:18	their own sins
12:20	the crowds of herding sheep
12:23	are just as prevalent today as they were
12:25	in the day of Christ
12:27	ask Jesus to open your eyes to see what
12:30	spiritual eyes the hearts of the people
12:33	around you ask Jesus for the compassion
12:35	that he has for those who are like sheep
12:39	without a Shepherd to protect them
12:42	the word of the Lord is already going
12:45	out to them
12:47	Jesus is saying come to me all who are
12:51	weary and heavy laden and I will give
12:54	you rest take my yoke upon you and learn
12:57	from me for I am gentle and humble of
13:00	heart and you will find rest for your
13:03	souls for my yoke is easy and my burden
13:06	is light
13:08	beloved
13:10	be a good listener
13:13	listen to the Holy Spirit
13:15	and listen to the Sheep whom God places
13:18	before you
13:20	then by the guidance of the spirit
13:22	introduce that sheep to the Good
13:25	Shepherd
13:26	introduce that sheep to the
13:29	compassionate one Jesus who loves them
13:33	and who alone can give them rest
13:38	amen
13:46	[Music]
13:57	[Applause]